Puri

Puri (ପୁରୀ Purī), also known as Jagannath Puri (the Abode of Lord Jagannath) or Purushottama Puri, is a seaside pilgrimage town in the Indian state of Odisha. It is a major tourist destination with the famous temple of Lord Jagannath (means Lord of the World) and a very long beach offering beautiful and pleasant sights. There are many hotels; most overseas tourists stay near the beach.

Understand
Puri (poo-rih) literally means "city" in Sanskrit. It appeals to both pilgrims and vacationers as it blends religion with fun. Puri is one of the Char Dham (Four Abodes) sites that are considered sacred to the Hindus, and the Jagannath Temple is an example of the Kalinga architecture. The long sea beach is another major attraction of the city with its fantastic sea face view and golden sand; the water is a bit rough (which is good if you like to surf).

Talk
Like the rest of Odisha, most people in Puri speak Odia. Due to the presence of people from various parts of India, there would not be a language problem for people who speak any other major Indian languages. Hindi and Bengali are also widely understood.

By plane
The nearest airport is in Bhubaneswar, from Puri. Then take a train or bus to reach your destination.

By train
Puri is well-connected by railways. Trains are available from Howrah, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar etc. It is also a major railhead on the East Coast Railway, bifurcated from Khurda Road. is in the heart of the town and near to most hotels. While arriving by train, go to the Odisha State Tourist counter at the station for advice; they are usually very helpful and speak English. The MCO Booth is also quite helpful.

By bus
Puri is approximately 1½ hours or 60 km from Bhubaneswar and the journey costs about ₹130.

Get around
You can use cycle rickshaws, auto-rickshaws or electric rickshaws but agree on a price before you set off. Just to avoid a horrible experience in the beginning confirm twice on the price, as they frequently try to charge you more than you agreed on. There are places on C.T. Road where you can hire a Royal Enfield motorbike, good if you want to drive along the coast to Konark (Sun Temple). A cycle rickshaw is in the range of ₹520.

Temples




Events
Ratha Yatra (literally "chariot journey") is the main festival in Puri and is celebrated in June-July every year. On the first day, Jagannath and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra are transported in chariots (rathas) from Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple. They remain in chariots on the first day and enter Gundicha Temple on the second day. These deities return to Jagannath Temple after seven days, known as "Bahuda Yatra". The area between Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple remains crowded during the Ratha Yatra, therefore be prepared during these times.

Sleep
Puri is a very popular holiday resort for people from all over India but they tend to stay in the hotels nearer to Swargadwar (rather than C.T. Road). These hotels are often affordable and offer quality services at very reasonable rates.

Stay safe
In cheap hotels or guest houses on Swargadwar or New Puri, try to take care of your own belongings. Do not try to go to the beach after 8PM. If you get seriously ill in Puri it is better to go on to Bhubaneswar to the Kalinga Hospital as the hospitals in Puri are very, very basic and not too clean. The hotel should be able to get a local doctor for you if you need one.

There are mouthwatering food stalls on the beach selling fish, mutton, chicken kebabs, chops and cutlets. Do not try these, unless you want to experience the medical system of Puri. Even weather-beaten, battle-hardened, super-immune Indian stomachs can not tolerate these tasty but unhygienic attacks on your digestive system. Eat out of hotels, is perfectly fine. But do not try the seashore roadside food stalls.

Stay safe from pāṇḍās in any temple. They will extract money from your pocket ruthlessly in the name of God. They are very influential and nothing can be done with the help of law. Avoid entering the innermost sanctum of any living temple (even if you are Hindu/Indian). They will ask you to offer puja or pay respect to innumerous Gods here and there of the same temple very politely/affectionately but will demand money in the name of each God separately. No use arguing with them. If you are a bit religious/curious then carry enough change so that you can donate ₹1, ₹2, ₹5, ₹10 to get rid of them without any commotion.

Stay away from monkeys. Don't lure them with food and other stuff.

Go next
Puri, being a major tourist spot, is well connected with the rest of the country by train. In case of flight connectivity, one has to go to Bhubaneswar to get onto one. From the main bus stand in Puri, you can get buses to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack which are less than 60-70 km away. Bhubaneswar, which is a major hub, further increases connectivity.
 * The temple of Konark is nearby and definitely a must-visit.
 * Satapada on Chilika Lake is nearby and is a great place for sighting dolphins.